In-Person Snowy Plover Patrol Training – April 20, 2024
We will be hosting a 2-night virtual event and an in-person event for Snowy Plover Patrol training in 2024. The training will be presented virtually on Wednesday, April 3 and Thursday, April 4 from 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. and in-person at Nehalem Bay State Park on Saturday, April 20 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. The first two hours will be the indoor learning portion, followed by an optional two hour field trip to the Nehalem Snowy Plover Management Area to practice observing plovers (weather dependent).
Each version of the training will be divided into four learning modules. They cover all relevant topics needed to understand and survey for Snowy Plovers and what we can do to help them. Anyone interested in learning about Snowy Plovers or in participating in our Plover Patrol community science program is welcome to attend.
Meeting location: Nehalem Bay State Park day-use parking area (southmost, ocean access); $5 day-use parking fee or annual pass to park
What to bring (recommended): Notebook, binoculars, spotting scope, camera, water, snacks, beach-ready attire (there will be a few optics available to borrow)
Bird Alliance of Oregon is partnering with Oregon Parks and Recreation Department and the Institute for Natural Resources to monitor threatened Western Snowy Plovers at six sites along the North Coast (from Fort Stevens State Park in Astoria to Sitka Sedge State Natural Area near Pacific City) running from April through September. We are looking for volunteers to perform weekly nest monitoring surveys and/or plover detection surveys up to twice a month. Surveys may be conducted alone or with one or two others. Surveys take between 2-5 hours depending on the site. Some sites will require walking several miles on sandy beach habitat. Learn more about the Snowy Plover Patrol.
For more information or to RSVP, email Cara Gates, Coastal Community Science Biologist, at cgates@birdallianceoregon.org.